Pilgrimage experience with a mountain ascetic at Dewa Sanzan and Mount Haguro
My first visit to Dewa Sanzan (Yamagata)
Haguro, accompanied exclusively by a mountain ascetic guide (sendatu), who undergoes rigorous training in the mountains. During the pilgrimage, you will wear traditional white robes. At the temple lodging where you will stay, you will purify yourself with a vegetarian meal centered on wild vegetables harvested in the sacred mountains, and experience meditation at night at the five-story pagoda, a national treasure. The next morning, after offering a prayer, you will climb to the summit and worship at Dewa Sanzan Shrine.
Enjoy 75 fireworks all to yourself at a private villa in Miura
MOROISOSO (Kanagawa)
Located about an hour and a half by car from central Tokyo, you can experience a private fireworks display at a villa facing Sagami Bay. A fireworks shop founded in 1907 will display a total of 75 fireworks. Enjoy the spectacular fireworks that light up the night sky just 50 meters from the launch point. The combination with the illuminated pool is also fantastical.
Enjoy a Noh and Kyogen performance at a private house in Yoshino
NEOLD (Nara)
Opened in 2021 in a village deep in the mountains of Yoshino, this theater features a separate Noh theater and is renowned for its opportunity to immerse oneself in traditional Japanese culture. The theater, with its refreshing woody scent, was overseen by Noh actor Taichiro Nomura, a disciple of Nomura Mansai. Guests can enjoy optional performances such as "Sanbaso." Experience the atmosphere of the era when Noh and Kyogen were performed for nobles such as the shogun.
Stay at a World Heritage site and experience Japanese culture
Head temple Ninna-ji Temple (Kyoto)
Founded in 888, you can stay overnight in a sukiya-style temple lodging, formerly the residence of a temple samurai, and have the temple all to yourself from closing time until opening time. On a tour guided by a monk, you can see the main hall (kondo), sutra repository, five-story pagoda, and more, which are not open to the public. Experience the world of Buddhism through morning worship services. Optional experiences such as gagaku (gagaku music) and gomadaki (goma fire) are also available (additional fees apply). A portion of the fee is used to support the next generation and preserve and pass on cultural assets.
